Jane Jensen

The first decades of digital history went by too fast, leaving many of us with false impressions, like the canard that computer games arose in an all-male engineering culture, a blithe assertion that overlooks the genius of people like Judy Malloy, Brenda Laurel, and Jane Jensen. Happily, genius has reach: transformative work leaves lasting marks on the girls and boys who grow up with it, and when we are lucky, those children turn into scholars like Anastasia Salter, whose capacity to remember and understand digital origins is rare indeed. This book is essential both to understanding the roots and condition of interactive narrative, and to recognizing the women who shaped it. Stuart Moulthrop, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA The project provides a well-written and fascinating exploration of an oft-overlooked genre of video games. Anastasia Salter provides an in-depth and colorful account of Jane Jensen's larger project and how it has helped to engender diversity in the video game industry. It is an excellent addition to an already strong series. Shira Chess, Assistant Professor of Entertainment & Media Studies, The University of Georgia, USA Game theorists, media studies experts, and women's studies scholars will find much to admire in Anastasia Salter's new book, Jane Jensen: Gabriel Knight, Adventure Games, Hidden Objects, whether it's Jensen's ground-breaking contribution to video game design or her pioneering work as a woman in a field with little gender diversity. Salter's book unfolds in a compelling, easy tone and keeps her audience's interest throughout her account of Jensen's twenty-five year career in the game industry. Dene Grigar, Professor and Director, Creative Media & Digital Culture Program, USA